Hometeam baseball: Carroll, Quinn help Northbridge edge Hudson

WORCESTER — After three straight heartbreaking losses in the Central Mass. final, Northbridge High coach John Demagian told his team he didn't think he could by any happier than he is right now.

Brian Carroll and Mike Quinn made sure of that Saturday at Tivnan Field.

Carroll, a senior captain, fired a four-hitter, while Quinn, one of six sophomore starters in the lineup, had two doubles with an RBI and a run to lead the fifth-seeded Rams, 3-0, over seventh-seeded Hudson to capture the Central Mass. Division 3 title.

Northbridge, which has won eight district titles, captured its first since 2010, when it won the Division 2 state crown.

"We did it the hard way," said Demagian, whose team knocked off fourth-seeded Nipmuc Regional and top-seeded Assabet Valley in a 13 inning thriller. "We didn't score a lot of runs all tournament. This feels special. With this team, there's no doubt they overachieved. They just don't care. They just play hard all the time. They bust their butts in practice everyday. I can't take any of the credit. I'm just along for the ride, I guess."

Northbridge (16-7) will face Western Mass. champ Monument Mountain in a state semifinal at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Worcester State."This was supposed to be a rebuilding year," Carroll said.

"It feels great," Quinn said. "We couldn't have done it without (Carroll). We definitely did this for the seniors. I feel great for the seniors and definitely for the pitcher. We just put the bat to the ball and played some baseball. We've got to do it again Tuesday."

Hudson, which was held to nine runs in its four tournament games, including a pair of 1-0 wins, finished 16-10.

"We had goals and expectations at the beginning of the season," Hudson coach Tim Reinhardt said. "We expected to be here. I feel like we had guys on (base) for most of the game, but we just could not get the big hit. We swung it OK. We couldn't get the hit. Hats off to Northbridge. They played a great game. Give them credit, they made plays."

The Rams scored twice in the bottom of the second off Hudson pitcher Pat Cadden, as Liam Cunningham and Carroll came around on a two-out double to center by Quinn.

"He threw it right down the middle," Quinn said. "When I felt it hit off the bat, I knew it as going deep."

In the fifth, Northbridge added an insurance run. Quinn led off with a double and scored on a throwing error at third.

"Quinn, the last two games, was the guy at the plate," Demagian said.

Hudson had an opportunity to score in the first, but Evan Cain, who walked, got caught in a rundown between second and third on Domenic Fontes' single, and was tagged out.

"We missed a big opportunity in the first inning," Reinhardt said. "This is something you have to bounce back from. (Northbridge) had some momentum, and they fed off that. (Cadden) did everything we could have hoped for. He threw strikes. We couldn't help him out."

The Hawks left four in scoring position, but Carroll buckled down every time he needed to, retiring the last seven batters he faced, and 12 of his last 13.

"I had to bear down," Carroll said. "I had to bear down to get it done. I got that big strikeout or something. I just did it. A lot of my fastballs were hitting the outside corner all day. I was throwing curveballs, but my curve wasn't as good as usual."

For Carroll, a three-year varsity player, it was his first start in a final.

"I was always the number two pitcher the last couple of years," Carroll said. "I've always been in the shadow of somebody else. I just got put in that spot. For me to be able to be up there, I just wanted to pitch a hell of a game, and I did."

"Brian Carroll was fantastic," said Demagian. "Our pitching and defense was fantastic. Everyday seems to be somebody different."